Caring Big:Written On The Heart and Minds

"This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds."Hebrews 10:16

Part of the problem with those who take advantage of the woes of those lacking in material resources  to operate their personal lives and businesses successfully is an apparent refusal to think and share big. In a free enterprise system where rugged individualism and profit motives "I got mine,you can get yours" have been accepted as a matter of course and advocated as necessary evils in the scheme of things, those of goodwill can't help but wonder if it is at all as simple as that. With many people currently jobless and homeless many ask why couldn't morsels of those trillions and billions which bailed the banks out have at least trickled down in the thousands or hundreds to those who are still without homes as a result of the foreclosure crisis? Why couldn't money have been thrown into some form of employment pool with the same degree of fervor and urgency as the funds allocated to the banks?

Several praying women, pressed to the point of righteous indignation by the drastic state of homelessness and abandonment of homes which they have witnesses in their communities felt the need to call members of their community together to voice their concerns in a letter writing campaign to government officials. Inspired by the work of Liberian activist Leymah Gbowee, 2011 Nobel Peace Prize recipients who inspired the film Pray the Devil Back to Hell, spiritual leader and minister of Transforming Love Community in Detroit,Michigan recently led a writing seminar for women in the community. The purpose was to come together as concerned,praying and caring women of god inspired, moved and called to make a difference by writing their concerns in letter form about the plight of their city as witnessed by each in their service to the community,on the job, in their churches and in their neighborhoods.

The problem:the housing and foreclosure issue and how it has ravaged Detroit, destabilized the communities of church members and left many unexpectedly homeless i.e., the people you would least expect. Where two or more are gathered in his name, god is in the midst. That goes as much for spoken as written prayers. When a community comes together and cares big enough to wage a letter writing campaign-writing on paper what they hope to ultimately be written on the heart, the message is bound to get through to those who can do something to help.

God Will Provide...Spirit Warmers and Jobs

A friend called recently, near the close of last year thrilled to announce the news about her new job.She was joyous to say the least about entering the gainful employment stream once again after so many months and years of  unemployment. Mainly a a result of the down surge in the economy which took hold during the previous administration and spilled over into the current economy resulting in what has been assessed by the experts as one of the worst recessions. Some of the experts have even slightly hinted of a depression.

More than care to admit have been in the jobless category. Some have been first timers, professionals and executives rusty in job seeking skills. Some have not been as open about their status as others due to shame, embarassment and a desire to keep up appearances.  Many  have weathered the storm quietly and honestly with dignity,few complaints and the resourcefulness born of faith in god, solid values and love of country.  It was good to hear about my friend's good fortune. Obama's news about the economy just a few days following i.e., the decrease in the unemployment rate down to 8 percent from 9 provided a welcome dose of enthusiasm and added to the optimism.

It is a reminder that god will provide even in the bleekest of times if we have faith and continue to knock on doors with hopeful expectancy. Politicians spewing venom at each other amid allegations of incompetence,pointing fingers amongst themselves about their lack of sound economic policies, playing short sighted  games of one upsmanship to secure temporary surges in the polls would not seem to be the most productive course of action. Of course its an election year. But why can't they all come up with sound ideas for the good of the country instead of beating it down. At least show the President a little more respect for the enormity and complexity of the task at hand. 

Despite his detractors, Obama's earnest fight,  taking the case for Jobs to the public, rallying for his Jobs Act in the face of naysaying and congressional opposition appears to be yielding fruit.  The growing number of jobs and companies who are hiring is a hopeful development.  It is also good to have the news of this reality hit home at this time,warm the spirits of the jobless everywhere while reminding the nation that we are still the richest country in the world. That has to be worth something...

"Rendering Unto Caesar and Unto God" in Modern Times

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"Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are. Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax[a] to Caesar or not?”


But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me?  Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius,  and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”
 “Caesar’s,” they replied.

Then he said to them, “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

Matthew 22:15-21

"Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God, the things that are God's" Matthew 22:21
 
The famous passage in St.Matthews known as the Tribute passage is referenced in this message and like most of the age old wisdom and teachings from the Hebrew or New Testament Bible is relevant today. Jesus' teaching as captured in the full pericope in which a trap is set for him by hostile interrogators,resonates with a desire to do what is right, ultimately making the best choice when faced with the challenge of doing what is politically and morally correct, having to discern between the two when the social climate is rife with social controversy and political unrest.
 
The bottom line is that in the Hebrew tradition, and Jesus was a Rabbi, everything belonged to god.He reminds his interrogators that God was owed exclusive allegiance and total love and worship. So, everything economically belonged to God as well.
 
This historically spiritual teaching of rendering unto another,in this case Caesar, which is ostensibly his, provides food for thought on a more generalized scale in working through the maze of moral issues faced during today's economy as there is clamoring for economic justice and class parity. The "Occupy" movement has not only focused attention on the enormous disparities existing between ordinary citizens and Wall Street titans in terms of government access, but has also generated an increased demand for fair taxation among the super rich, rich, middle class and impovershed masses. 
 
When its all sifted through and the ultimate tally taken as in this context in Jesus' time,the rendering is ultimately unto God. The measures taken by men to run and sustain organized financial systems will in the long run only be regarded as man made stop gaps. While the eternal system of pay outs and budget balancing is in the hands of an infinite creator who has feeble human deficit solutions outpaced by inconmprehensible margins. I don't think anyone would disagree that corporate greed contributed to market problems and resultant collapse.
 
The real rendering,which is to God will take place when we start taking care of each other the way god intended. When that happens the budgets will find a way of balancing out and bottomless deficits corrected.We might also find that printing all the money in the world won't solve the problems, if God is not in the equation.  Our hearts have to be right. Otherwise, its like throwing meaningless paper to the wind.
 
Of course gallant efforts have been made by some to solve the financial woes on both the national and global scales.  Indeed it takes experts, i.e., the federal reserve,banking executives, business and corporate leaders, government officials and ordinary citizens working in unison to come up with plausible soultions. But if everyone involved were sincere in their caring, had to live next door or in the same household with a neighbor who lost a job or other means of support, they might be more inclined to release funds that are now being clinched and held on to so tightly.
 
 The real budget balancing,restoration and deficit reductions will begin when we Render unto God what is God's. A good start is rendering unto neighbor. The first commndment is to love God with all thy heart. The second is to love thy neighbor as thyself. Many of your neighbors don't have jobs,many don't have homes to live in and many don't have enough food.  Yet they have paid their taxes as responsible citizens. That money helps to pay for the salaries of those who are holding things up.

Detroit Welcomes Obama with "Fired Up" Chants of "Four More Years"

Please click on post title link above to listen to related audio  podcast to this post by Rev. Cynthia Wilson

Throngs of enthusiastic labor leaders and workers qued up on Detroit's major thoroughfare,Woodward Ave.(photos below) early in the day to participate in the Annual Labor Day Parade,an event that honors and appreciates labors rich legacy.  It is a much anticipated event in which the people who use their physical bodies and minds often employing elbow grease to make life easier for the rest of us. This year's parade was special, filling the hearts of Detroit's labor community with pride and enthusiasm.  It would be topped off with an extraordinary opportunity to hear the first Black President of The United States, Barack Obama, make pledges to stand up for labor and to provide renewed hope for jobs.

 If you were labor you were admitted in the same general area as VIP attendees, which was a welcome psychological switch for many workers I am sure. While many in the crowd were eager to hear about the administration's job strategy,  Obama said he was not going to give it all,but he did give a small hint of some of the strategies in mind i.e., the need for construction and improvement of the nation's infrastructure.The fact that the President chose Detroit, a city with a rich history of labor organizing and worker culture due to the auto industry, now among cities with the highest unemployment rates in the nation, was proof positive  that Obama cares and is on a dedicated course to do something about Detroit's and other similarly situated cities plights.

As he approached the microphone poised to give a lenghty speech,he was met with rousing applause,cheers and "fired up" chants of "four more years". The Queen of Soul, aretha Franklin  had warmed the crowd with some heartfelt deliveries of classics such as "Respect","Chain of Fools" and superb jazz scatting.

It was a day to remember for many Detroiters and there were informal conversations going on between friends and strangers alike about how wonderful it was to witness the President's presence in the beautiful yet humble surroundings of the GM parking lot behind Hart Plaza and adjacent to the Rennaisance Center. Many were just super thrilled to have a chance to hear from the President in person,take pictures and to be in such a historical gathering.

Some Reflections on John Mayer’s “Born and Raised” Scheduled for October Release

 

Singer songwriter John Mayer has a new and much awaited album scheduled to drop in October. Entitled “Born and Raised, a first listen to the songs reveals a folksy side reminiscent of his first non-studio release “Inside Wants Out”. The released album versions are likely to be highlighted throughout with Mayer’s adeptness in subtlety blending genres of rock, pop, folk, blues, soul and hip hop. Mayer has  managed to uniquely weave it all together into the now signature, John Mayer Musical Sound on his earlier accomplishments such as Continuum, Heavier Things and Battle Studies.

Mayer’s projects are consistently remarkable blends of thought provoking , sometimes cerebral and heart warming melodies. He is also regarded for his electric and acoustic guitar playing prowess. The new Born and Raised songs have strong Bob Dylan influences. Preliminary releases of the songs demonstrate how Mayer layers skillful guitar playing with strong harmonica solos and raw poetry on such tunes as “Whiskey, Whiskey”, “The Age Worry”, “Speak for Me” and “Born and Raised”. But he clearly gets back to his usual song and guitar stylings on the rest of the songs on the record.

Prophecy and Credibility

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My Take On Paul Knitter's Prophecy and Credibility


This recent post which I ran across in Union in Dialgue strikes the nail on the head and I resonated with it immediately. Paul Knitter creatively addresses the challenge faced oftentimes by the weary prophet or as referred to in Richard Sennett's article in the Nation which fuels Knitter's response, 'leftists' and in more ancient times 'seers'. He speaks to the heart of the matter,  the prophet's ongoing struggle to achieve credibility, a key to creating palpable dialogue, maintaining harmony with people dead set against seeing, perceiving let alone sitting down to the table and discussing things eye to eye and face to face out of an enormous predisposition to disagree. More likely than not, they have also put up an invisible wall or two in places such as the psyche and other undetectable places a prophet may have already sensed which contributes substantially to their stridency. Somehow receptivity in all its seeming understatedness and subtlety has a remarkable way of piercing the iron albeit invisible veils of social,political and cultural intransigence which have historically surfaced as common culprits in the broken and unjust societies prophets are 'called' to fix.

Thank you, Dr. Knitter for your thoughtful article.

Joy Comes In the Morning

Today's word is a message about joy as well as a prayer for those in need. I am dedicating it especially to our nation today during this time of downgrade. Let's keep the spirit of the U.S.A lifted up.

Joy Comes In the Morning